So I will summarize and tell you the significance.
Two weekends ago I went to Interlaken, Switzerland with Kelly and a few of her friends from Gonzaga. The hostel we stayed at was awesome!!! We went paragliding, shopping, hiking, exploring, touring, and atv-ing. Paragliding was the most amazing feeling I have ever experienced. I was flying. Not like airplane flying or jumping off the high dive. I was moving through the air with only a harness holding me up. It was incredible. After paragliding we went to Hooters. My first time at a Hooters, in fact. It was delicious but the girls looked very cold. When we rented the atvs we drove from what lake to the other (inter-laken= between two lakes). The water was so breathtakingly beautiful. It was bright blue and you could see to the bottom. I wish I could go back in the summer and swim in it.
Okay, fast forward. Last weekend I went back to Rome. It was very spontaneous but AMAZING all the same. A family friend's cousin lives in Rome who I have been emailing and he invited me to lunch with his wife and kids. So I hopped on a train and went to Rome! I thought I would miss the train because I got lost on the way to the station and then I couldn't figure out which train was mine. I could tell that the announcer was saying that my train was leaving but I couldn't tell which platform she had said it was at. So I was running up and down into every train and asking, "Roma??" "Roma??" Finally I found the right train moments before it left. When I sat down in my seat I was sweating and my knees hurt. When I got to Rome I had a muffin and a cappuccino. (I love their coffee here!) While I was standing at the bar eating and drinking, the waiter filled up a glass with bottled water and handed it to me. You have no idea how unheard of that is in Italy. It completely made my day!!! How unbelievably thoughtful!! He must have known I was thirsty because, like most Americans, I refuse to pay for water and so have been dehydrated since I left the states. After that wonderful start to my Rome adventure I walked from the metro stop to Patrick and Laura's apartment. It was so sunny out and I found two dresses in a street market. Great combo. Patrick and Laura and their kids, Catarina and Jack, were all so great. The kids were outgoing and loving and smart and I just couldn't get enough of them. They (parents included) took me to this local hot-spot restaurant that has yet to be discovered by the tour guide books, so I won't tell you what it's called!, and I had the most amazing carbonarra (sp?) in all of Italy. which means in all the world. The girls went shopping after lunch and then Laura made us an amazing dinner. That night I slept on their couch and slept through the morning plans. Instead, when I finally woke up, they took me to a hill that overlooks Rome and then to the "Bohemian" section of town for lunch. We met up with some of their friends and I listened to them all speak Italian. Apparently they were talking politics. Lunch went longer than we expected and so their son, Adriano, drove me to the train station on his "scooter". I am embarrassed to say how much fun that was.
Now I am back in Florence and it is getting warmer everyday! I actually walked back from the gym today in my shorts. Granted, I was the only person with exposed legs in all of Florence but I was too excited to care. Well I made it through my summation!!!! Next time I will say something about Florence because I stayed here this weekend. Miss you all!!!!!!!!
CA
